For the last eight days, doctors at the Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu, have been trying their best to save the life of Rameez Khan, 44, the ill-fated father who lost both of his kids when the Pakistani Army resorted to artillery shelling on the Poonch town during Operation Sindoor.
Although doctors are assiduously trying to save his life, Rameez Khan, lying unconscious for the last eight days, has lost everything in the three-day-long war, and his life has been completely shattered after the May 7 shelling.
Rameez Khan is a horrific example of the inhabitants of the Jammu and Kashmir border town of Poonch, which bore the maximum brunt during Operation Sindoor.
Poonch town, which has always been a victim of cross-border shelling due to its geographical location, recently faced heavy shelling by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.
The shelling stopped after the India-Pakistan ceasefire on Saturday but left a trail of devastation in Poonch and surrounding areas. The town not only bore the brunt of Pakistan's aggression in the 1965 and 1971 wars, but this time the shelling has pushed it towards unprecedented destruction.
More than 50 percent of the buildings in Poonch town have been destroyed by mortar and artillery shelling. According to officials, more than 200 structures have been damaged in the border areas of Poonch and Rajouri districts, though an exact assessment of the damage is yet to be done.
Talking about human loss, 13 civilians died in Poonch district, including the Additional District Development Commissioner. Three people were killed in Rajouri and two in Jammu district.
Heavy shelling from Pakistan claimed 13 lives, including four children aged between 7 and 14 years. A mortar shell in Kalni village killed 12-year-old Ayan Khan and his 10-year-old sister Aruba Khan when the shell hit their house. Seven-year-old Mariam Khatoon and 13-year-old Vihaan Bhargav were also killed in the bombing. Other victims included 33-year-old Balwinder Kaur, 55-year-old Amrik Singh, 48-year-old Ranjit Singh, and a Muslim cleric Qari Mohammad Iqbal, reflecting the indiscriminate nature of the attack. At least 59 people were injured, 44 of them in Poonch alone.
The shelling reduced dozens of houses, shops, and vehicles to rubble. Historical sites like the Poonch Fort, religious places like Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, and Christ School were also badly damaged. Shells also fell near the UN station and forest department buildings, adding to the chaos. "It was like a war zone, with injured people screaming for help and families forced to hide," said local resident Abdul Rashid, who narrowly escaped the shelling.
Exodus and relief operations
The shelling triggered panic, forcing hundreds of residents to take refuge in underground bunkers or flee to safer areas such as Jammu. The Poonch administration set up shelter camps in educational institutions, where food, lodging, and medical facilities were provided. Over 150 residents of Dhaka fled their damaged homes and took refuge in the homes of relatives.
Government efforts
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired an emergency meeting and released relief funds of Rs 5 crore for the border districts. He directed the health department to ensure adequate medical supplies and blood stock in hospitals. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha monitored the situation and ordered the evacuation of villagers from vulnerable areas. All schools and colleges in Poonch, Rajouri, Jammu, Samba, and Kathua were closed. Operations at Jammu, Srinagar, and Leh airports were suspended due to security concerns.
International condemnation
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri condemned Pakistan for targeting civilian infrastructure, schools, and places of worship and called it a "new low." He mentioned that a shell fell near Christ School, causing the death of two students at their home. He stressed that such acts were deliberate.
Future uncertainty
Tensions along the Line of Control remain high, and the Indian government has vowed to give a strong response to Pakistan's aggression. The devastation in Poonch underscores the human cost of this escalating conflict. Residents are pleading for calm, but the challenge they face in returning to normal life is enormous.
Most of the population of Poonch had left their homes during the shelling. Now that the ceasefire has been implemented, people are thinking of returning to their homes, but they face many challenges. Their homes and shops have been completely destroyed, and it will be difficult for the children to recover from the shock.
The sound of explosions is still echoing in the ears of the Poonch residents, and the children are terrified.
Poonch has also faced Pakistani shelling in the 1965 and 1971 wars, but the destruction this time is unprecedented. A shop across the border in the Mendhar area was also damaged in the shelling. Every house in the town has a story of death and destruction, and people will have to struggle a long way to start their lives again.
The tragedy of Poonch is not only a story of material loss, but it is also a story of pain and courage of families who are trying to recover from this devastation. With the help of the administration and the local community, people are trying to get their lives back on track, but this path will not be easy.
